Help with OPKs

[Carlotta27]

Hi all

I’ve seen a few posts like this so hoping someone can help me understand what’s going on if I post a pic

For context, I’m on a cycle with letrozole to induce ovulation (which worked for me last month) and I ovulated with a trigger around day 14

this month I am not monitored so have been using OPKs.

I usually get a very quick surge so am wondering whether I missed it ? I’ve only tested once a day (and kicking myself for not doing more!)

fifth test stick line was very skin but relatively dark. That was yesterday midday and I didn’t test evening.

the tests are now pretty much blank again … I’m really worried I maybe didn’t get a dull surge and ovulate? Or could I have missed it ?

im going to try to temp too but I’m staying in a hot hotel room at the moment which has made things tricky !

im also due to start using progesterone pessaries after ovulation so want to confirm it

many thanks for any input ! Xxx

I can't see any sigh of ovulation on there yet.

You will not see them get progressively darker and darker as you approach ovulation. They will fluctuate randomly throughout the month. Ovulation should show as a sudden, unmistakeable spike that lasts 1-2 days.

You may be aware that, unlike pregnancy tests, it's also best not to test first morning urine. I used to keep one in my bra and do a test once I got to work at around 9am.

Yeah I'd suggest testing a couple of times a day at least, your 5th test down looks like it's getting darker, that's when I start testing 2-3 x in order to try and catch the surge

Mine is quick, usually manage to catch either the start or end of it and the next day it's gone! Google says to use concentrated urine so holding for 3-4 hours and in the afternoon is better but I've found FMU works ok for me too, I drink too much water during the day I can't hold for 3-4 hours usually! But yeah if testing a few times a day during what seems like ovu time it's much easier to catch any changes, as soon as I see any darkening I test more

Also the Premom app has a scanner where it will give you a reading from the strips which helps quantify the colour of the line and helps identify the peak

Also your bbt will indicate as well, so if you're charting that on an app you should use that to confirm if you did ovulate, even if it's a bit out due to hot hotel room!

@PetitPorpoise and @suz2285 thank you very much for the replies - so much to overthink and worry about!

yes I definitely will test multiple x a day in future. I’ll check my temperature over the next few days too.

im hoping that I missed my surge that evening I didn’t do an OPK but I guess we’ll never know! (Unless BFP which feels a world away at the moment) x

Everything is a waiting game with this ttc nonsense!

Fingers crossed you just missed catching the surge as you said 🤞 good luck!

How many DPO should you be now?

@suz2285 Thank you for the good vibes!

If that it was last night I missed the surge then I expect O day is today… hoping to see my temp go up tomorrow morning or the one after x

@Carlotta27 great, I'm 3DPO right now as well, so join me for the TWW 😂

@suz2285 oh very close! How many cycles have you been TTC? So let me know how it goes in about 12 days! X

@Carlotta27 unfortunately we did conceive in Jan, but end of feb I had a miscarriage at 8 weeks pregnant

Now this is the first ovu since then... I've heard of people being more fertile after miscarriage but I honestly have no expectations of either bfp or healthy baby at this stage so just one day at a time!

We were very lucky to catch early with the baby we lost, so I'm hoping for the same this time but no idea!!

You?

I used fmu. Got peak and fell pregnant 😊

@Emmamoo89 congrats! Just goes to show the need to test test test! Wishing you a healthy pregnancy :)

@suz2285 Im so sorry to hear about your miscarriage, it must be such an emotional rollercoaster. hopefully the fact you can conceive quickly gives you confidence that all the other bits are working!

My journey has been quite negative as was diagnosed quickly with a very short Luteal phase (of 5-7 days not 14 as standard) so need to have medicated cycles. this is into my second medicated cycle but I’m super anxious as I already feel things aren’t in my favour, hence worrying about OPKs so much!

I guess there’s not much more we can do not in the TWW x

@Carlotta27 fingers crossed for us both! My first cycle after I came off the pill was 8 days luteal and I was already stressing, fingers crossed the medication helps, it's great that you got diagnosed quickly and hopefully this will help

I wouldn't worry too much about the opks if you've been dtd regularly hopefully all will be ok!

@suz2285 thank you! Good luck to you too! I’m trying to remind myself it’s normal to take 6-12 months so need to learn to live with the uncertainty and impatience! X

Hi,

Wondering if some could help me out. I don't usually use opk sticks but thought I'd give it a try this month. I usually get a lot of EWCM just before and around ovulation. Last 2 days I've tested using the sticks and the lines have been just as dark as the control line.

I've tested again today (ovulation day) and again it appears to be just as dark. Does this mean ovulation isn't today but approaching?

I've also attached a photo of today's opk sticks.

Thank you in advance.

@2LoveBugs If you download the Premom app and scan them in it gives you a number for each so you can see which is darker... it will get darker then go lighter again but some people have a long 'peak'... once it's as dark as the control line then ovulation happens between 12-48 (some say up to 72) hours later so with a long peak it's harder to know exactly the day

Are you charting bbt as well? As a temperature shift will confirm the exact day and then you would know when it happened?

I'm not sure with the 3 tests which would be the 'peak' in this case...

if you've been dtd around any of these days then that's a good sign 😂 and I'd keep going until it changes to lighter and one or two more times after that!

@suz2285 hello! I remember we had similar cycle dates. How did you get on? I think I had a chemical this month - which on the one hand was reassuring I could get pregnant but in the other hand made me worried my progesterone levels were still and issue and I feel guilty for not taking more medication for it… such an emotional rollercoaster x

@Carlotta27 hello! Nothing last month, just almost coming up to ovu time again... such a rollercoaster indeed! I know what you mean, we got pregnant quickly when we started trying but had a MC at 8 weeks, so spent all Jan/feb pregnant and just starting to get back into the normal cycles again now!

I'm hoping it doesn't take long to get pregnant again and that wasn't a one off managing to conceive quickly!
Honestly it's one thing after another this TTC journey!

OP- I never saw a surge on urine OPK's, even though I do ovulate. I used a reusable, saliva OPK for years. I could actually see the different phases of my cycle- and its a one off cost. I'm still amazed so many British women are unaware of them. You can buy them online. Best of luck.

@suz2285 sorry to his this month didn’t work out - it is so random how some months you can do everything “right” in terms of timing sex etc and nothing happens, yet other months it may do… I guess each new cycle is a new opportunity so fingers crossed for this one.

and seeing as I had that chemical it must mean that at some point I did ovulate - despite this original post showing OPKs which suggested otherwise!

@Carlotta27 yeah it's so much to track, I think with the opks it's easy to miss it! Did you track bbt as well? Least you know you timed it right!

My luteal phase was too short last cycle after late ovu after my mc so hopefully this time back to normal.. I've been away this weekends so was just praying my ovu wouldn't be early this time so I'm back before it's time! But we're ok... heading home today and hopefully a few days before ovu! Don't want to miss any chances!

I would get the easy at home tests there so much better and clearer...my results with the ones you use were poor aswell